There are some videos on YouTube of ex-Coteau Twin Liz Fraser playing some recent live gigs and doing a bunch of Twins' songs, supposedly in support of some new solo project. I watched a brief clip and I have to say it was awful to say the least.

As much as I love Liz' voice and CT, she has a lot of nerve playing these songs. She was the reason CT disbanded in the first place. After she left she slagged them off like she didn't want to be associated with the name ever again. CT were offered an astronomical amount of money to briefly reform for a show at Coachella and Liz refused to participate, disappointing her ex-bandmates Robin Guthrie (well, her ex-husband as well) and Simon Raymonde, who were more than willing to do it, and the fans. She's a strange bird with issues, that's all i can say about her personally. At least the other two are normal.

The cynic in me is saying the money's running out and she needs to make an album now and sell something, and what better way to make a buck than start doing your old songs (that's another issue: the other two wrote the music!). I don't have much respect for this at all. Robin Guthrie is a real artist and never went out on the road and rehashed CT songs. When her solo album fails miserably she'll probably be begging the others to reform. If I were them I'd say kiss my ass, you had your chance.

Cool topic. I'm a hardcore CT fan as well and would love to see the band reform though I am aware that Elizabeth, in addition to whatever bandmate issues there are, doesn't like to perform live - or so I've read a few times. It is too bad though. I've seen the band live twice, once with front row center seats to the point I was staring up at Liz's chin (HoLV tour) and I met Robin Guthrie (and later Liz) on the 4CC tour in a funny situation. Robin was super nice. I sold him a watch at a downtown watch shop I worked at. He couldn't believe I knew who he was. Later Liz and Simon walked by and I said something all fanboy (I was 23) and just got a nod back - no smile or "thanks", but whatever, they are gods. I was nervous as hell too. Was the day there were in town for the 4CC tour. Robin told me to sell my tickets and he'd put me on the guest list. Needless to say Robin forgot to put my name on the guest list and he wasn't wearing the watch I sold him on stage. good thing I hadn't sold my tickets!

Robin's solo stuff is really incredible. I particularly like Bordeaux.

I should say though that Liz's live vocals have a lot to be desired. There are some truly dreadful examples on YouTube and some bootlegs I have/had. Probably best left as the iconic band they are than have them reform and make a mess of an album.

I saw Cocteau Twins back in the 90s. I fell asleep and slept through almost the whole show. Thought that was a funny story, but years later, telling the story to a friend, I heard they went to the same show and also fell asleep. Maybe there was something in the auditorium that day?

Funny you fell asleep. The first gig I saw of theirs everyone was sitting down and many likely eyes closed except this random drunk girl that was schmoozing me and sitting on my lap and dancing IN FRONT OF 2,500 people who were all sitting down. I think I had my first anxiety attack at that show because of the embarrassment. The venue was standing for the 4CC gig but I was glad for that as myself and my buddies were in our mopey shoegaze phase, very drunk and with long hair I got my shoegaze on that night. Remember very little of it frankly... except I made sure to tell my friends that Robin was wearing the watch I sold him, yet not only was he not wearing the watch, but I also didn't get those free tickets... my friends probably thought I dreamt the whole encounter.

Man o man o man... I so wished Robin Guthrie had made a stop here in Denver on that Guthrie/Perry tour. I think they went through Portland Mike. Did you go? I know they did a thing for KEXP in Seattle. Great live radio set on YouTube to watch with both Robin playing guitar and Brendan Perry singing. Badass set.

Whenever a rocker says "putting you on the guest list," don't count on it. I interviewed Steve Kilbey of The Church by phone around 1994 and he said the same thing. When I went to the venue (surprise) I wasn't on the guest list. But things have a way of evening out, when, years later, I went to a Chameleons show and got invited to hang out with the drummer in SF, and then into the club early to watch the soundcheck. If I hadn't had tickets no one would have noticed and I probably would have gotten in for free....

I met Guthrie and Raymonde back stage on the Heaven or Las Vegas tour. I had gotten a temp job as a load in/out person for a SF concert hall, and luckily my first job was the CT show. They were both friendly and signed my "Moon and the Melodies" CD. Guthrie couldn't believe I liked that album and Raymonde said he "couldn't play bass to save (his) life" when I offered a compliment about his bass playing! Good times (the 90's)...

Whenever a rocker says "putting you on the guest list," don't count on it. I interviewed Steve Kilbey of The Church by phone around 1994 and he said the same thing. When I went to the venue (surprise) I wasn't on the guest list. But things have a way of evening out, when, years later, I went to a Chameleons show and got invited to hang out with the drummer in SF, and then into the club early to watch the soundcheck. If I hadn't had tickets no one would have noticed and I probably would have gotten in for free....

I met Guthrie and Raymonde back stage on the Heaven or Las Vegas tour. I had gotten a temp job as a load in/out person for a SF concert hall, and luckily my first job was the CT show. They were both friendly and signed my "Moon and the Melodies" CD. Guthrie couldn't believe I liked that album and Raymonde said he "couldn't play bass to save (his) life" when I offered a compliment about his bass playing! Good times (the 90's)...

A friend of mine's band had opened up for the Church here in the 90s. Apparently it was a tour where they weren't playing "Under A Milky Way" and I guess backstage my friend had commented on missing that song or something and Kilby and Wilson-Piper apparently had a shit fit and got in his face about how they hate playing the song. LOL. It got kind of nasty apparently, like shouting at each other. I dunno, I wasn't there though. I was never a huge Church fan. I do have a few of their albums... really tried to like their stuff, not dynamic enough for me, though I probably like them more now than I did in the 90s.

Cool story about meeting with Robin & Simon! Have you ever listened to Lowlife? Will Heggie was in this band (who is the original bassist on "Garlands"). I LOVE Lowlife.